FORMER Saint Farren Ray looks set to make his debut for North Melbourne on Sunday after being elevated from the Roos' rookie list on Thursday.
Ray was picked by North in last year's NAB AFL Rookie Draft after playing 130 games with St Kilda from 2009-15 and 75 games with the Western Bulldogs from 2004-08.
North coach Brad Scott said on Thursday Ray's strong VFL form had him in contention to play against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, suggesting the former Saint would most likely be used on the wing.
"He's in the mix, that's why we've upgraded him. He'll certainly be in our squad," Scott said.
"We think he's done enough at VFL level, 29 possessions last week, and we've been looking for another guy who can play on the wing. That was the methodology when we brought him into the club, that we knew he could play that position and he's performed really well in the pre-season so far.
"It gives us some more experience. He's played 205 AFL games so I'm sure he'll come in and acquit himself well."
The Roos will be forced to make at least one change this week after Taylor Garner strained a hamstring in last Sunday's win over Melbourne.
Scott said tall forward Mason Wood and goalsneak Robin Nahas were also in the mix to play against Freo, although Nahas would first have to be elevated from the Roos' rookie list.
North can elevate Nahas or another rookie at any time as it has two players on its long-term injury list; Jed Anderson and Ed Vickers-Willis.
Scott said Wood could scarcely have done more to advance his selection claims when he finished with three goals, 12 marks and 36 disposals in the opening round of the VFL last weekend.
Although tall forwards Drew Petrie, Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown have teamed well in the opening three rounds, Scott suggested North could play the 192cm Wood alongside them in attack.
"Mason has known for a long time that we've got some key forwards who've been in good nick, but I've maintained to him that it's funny how a coach can change structure when form dictates it," Scott said.
"It's fair to say he couldn't have done a lot more last week and in the previous weeks, but he's a player who's got a lot of improvement left in him which is fantastic for our footy club because he's already going pretty well."
Garner's injury must be particularly frustrating for the fourth-year forward given he seemed to be over the hamstring and hip problems that sidelined him for 18 months after he tore his left hamstring tendon in a NAB Challenge game in February 2014.
Scott said Garner's latest injury was "a minor hiccup" but said North would be "really cautious" with his rehabilitation.
"Taylor played [11 games out of 12] last year. We were hoping to get a big block of games into him in a row this year, but this is a minor hiccup," Scott said.
"We still think he is a really important player to us and will continue his development.
"But the most important thing in the short term is to make sure that these hamstring injuries don't become recurrent."
